We always try to keep things safe for our children and  try to stay informed on what things around our house would be harmful for the little ones,  We put locks on kitchen and bathroom cabinets to keep curious little hands out of trouble

What about your pet.  Did you know that there are some foods and other household items that are harmful to your dog or cat but not your children?

With various dangers lurking in corners and cabinets, the home can be a minefield of poisons for our pets. In 2009, the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) in Urbana, IL, handled more than 140,000 cases of pets exposed to toxic substances, many of which included everyday household products. Don't leave it up to Fido or Fluffy to keep themselves safe. Below is a list of the top 10 pet poisons that affected our furry friends in 2009.

Human Medications

Pets often snatch pill vials from counters and nightstands or gobble up medications accidentally dropped on the floor, so it's essential to keep meds tucked away in hard-to-reach cabinets.

Insecticides

One of the most common incidents involved the misuse of flea and tick products--such as applying the wrong topical treatment to the wrong species. Thus, it's always important to talk to your pet's veterinarian before beginning any flea and tick control program. Make sure that when you buy over the counter flea and tick medication that you read the labels.  The label should show what the dosage is for the weight of your dog or cat

People Food

People food like grapes, raisins, avocado can make your pet very sick

One of the worst offenders--chocolate--contains large amounts of methylxanthines, which, if ingested in significant amounts, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst, urination, hyperactivity, and in severe cases, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors and seizures.

Plants

Common houseplants varieties such as azalea, rhododendron, sago palm, lilies are often found in homes and can be harmful to pets. Lilies are especially toxic to cats, and can cause life-threatening kidney failure even in small amounts.  Be careful at Christmas time Poinsettias are also poison to our pets

Veterinary Medications

Even though veterinary medications are intended for pets, they're often misapplied or improperly dispensed by well-meaning pet parents. In 2009, the ASPCA managed 7,680 cases involving animal-related preparations such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, heartworm preventatives, de-wormers, antibiotics, vaccines and nutritional supplements.

Rat and Mouse poisons

Many baits used to attract rodents contain inactive ingredients that are attractive to pets as well. Depending on the type of rodent poison  ingestions can lead to potentially life-threatening problems for pets including bleeding, seizures or kidney damage. 

Household Cleaners

Everybody knows that household cleaning supplies can be toxic to adults and children, but few take precautions to protect their pets from common agents such as bleaches, detergents and disinfectants. These products, when inhaled by our furry friends, can cause serious gastrointestinal distress and irritation to the respiratory tract.

Heavy Metals

It's not too much loud music that constitutes our next pet poison offender. Instead, it's heavy metals such as lead, zinc and mercury. Lead is especially pernicious, and pets are exposed to it through many sources, including consumer products, paint chips, linoleum, and lead dust produced when surfaces in older homes are scraped or sanded.

Garden Products

It may keep your grass green, but certain types of fertilizer and garden products can cause problems for outdoor cats and dogs, which can cause severe gastric upset and possibly gastrointestinal obstruction.

Chemical Hazards

A category on the rise, chemical hazards--found in ethylene glycol antifreeze, paint thinner, drain cleaners and pool/spa chemicals--form a substantial danger to pets. Substances in this group can cause gastrointestinal upset, depression, respiratory difficulties and chemical burns.